Look After You
by clemsongirl26
Summary: Steve McGarrett agrees to help out an old friend...Little does he know that this favor will change his life forever.
1. Chapter 1

If I don't say this now I will surely break  
As I'm leaving the one I wanna take  
Forgive the urgency but hurry up and wait  
My heart has started to separate

Oh oh oh, oh oh oh, be my baby  
Oh oh oh, oh oh  
Oh oh oh, oh oh oh, be my baby  
I'll look after you

There now, steady, love, so few come and don't go  
Will you, won't you be the one I'll always know?  
When I'm losing my control the city spins around  
You're the only one who knows you slow it down

Oh oh oh, oh oh oh, be my baby  
Oh oh oh, oh oh  
Oh oh oh, oh oh oh, be my baby  
I'll look after you and I'll look after you  
( From: . )

If ever there was a doubt  
My love, she leans into me  
This most assuredly counts  
She says 'most assuredly'

Oh oh oh, oh oh oh, be my baby  
I'll look after you, after you  
Oh oh oh, oh oh oh, be my baby  
Oh oh oh, oh oh

It's always have and never hold  
You've begun to feel like home, yeah  
What's mine is yours to leave or take  
What's mine is yours to make your own

Oh oh oh, oh oh oh, be my baby  
Oh oh oh, oh oh  
Oh oh oh, oh oh oh, be my baby  
Oh oh oh, oh oh

Oh oh oh, oh oh oh, be my baby  
Oh oh oh, oh oh  
Oh oh oh, oh oh oh, be my baby  
Oh oh oh, oh oh

~Look After You by The Fray

Sunlight trickled in through the blinds to cast a glow on the walls of the bedroom where Steve McGarrett slept soundly. The silence in the room was disturbed by the ringing of a phone. Groaning loudly, Steve reached blindly towards the bedside table. His muscled, tattooed arm groped for the phone. After a few attempts, he managed to grab the obnoxious device. Without opening his eyes, he answered it.

"Yeah," he mumbled.

"McGarrett?" a familiar voice asked with a chuckle. "I'm guessing I woke your ass up, huh?"

Steve stared at the phone for a second. He knew the voice belonged to Riley Sullivan. He and Riley had gone through Annapolis together and then later became SEALS. They'd been on the same team during Steve's time as a SEAL. Riley was someone he considered family. They'd grown very close over the years, and Riley's big Irish family had welcomed Steve into their home several times over the years.

It had been months since he'd heard anything from Riley. Suddenly, a deep, nagging feeling settled in the pit of Steve's stomach.

"Riley? What's up?" Steve asked as he sat up and placed his feet on the floor.

"Not a whole lot, dude," Riley said. "Listen, man, I hate to bother you, but I've got something important to talk to you about."

"Shoot," Steve said as he slowly padded his way out of the bedroom towards the kitchen for coffee.

"You remember my baby sister, Emma?" Riley asked with a sigh.

"Yeah," Steve replied as a smile crossed his face. The first time he'd ever met Emma, she'd been this skinny, freckle-faced teenager. He'd seen her several times over the years and she'd grown into a beautiful woman with her caramel colored hair and green eyes.

"Steve, she's on her way to Hawaii right now," Riley said.

"Really? Vacation, huh?" Steve asked as he poured coffee grounds into the coffee maker.

"Not exactly," Riley sighed. "Emma needed to get away from Richmond for a while."

"Why's that?" Steve asked as that nagging feeling grew stronger.

"Well, Em's fiancé cheated on her," Riley said quietly.

"What?" Steve replied.

"They were supposed to be married next month and the asshole cheated on her," Riley gritted out. "She needed to get away."

"I understand," Steve said as he poured his first cup of coffee. "When will she be here?"

"I put her on a plane about an hour ago," Riley said. "She should be there by 5:00."

"Where's she staying?" Steve asked.

"Well, I hadn't made reservations yet. I was hoping you could recommend a few places that were safe," Riley replied.

"Well," Steve said and then paused. He understood Riley's concern for his sister's safety, but something in his voice worried Steve. "Why doesn't she just stay with me?"

"You'd be okay with that?" Riley asked.

"Of course," Steve said. "It'd be good to catch up with her."

"That would be great, man," Riley said with relief in his voice. "I really appreciate it."

"No problem," Steve replied. "I'll get her from the airport, so don't worry about a thing."

"Thanks, Steve," Riley said. "Watch out for her."

"Will do," Steve replied before Riley hung up. Something was definitely amiss with this situation, and that only made Steve's gut feeling worse.


	2. Chapter 2

**First of all, I'd like to say that I do not own Hawaii Five-0 or any of the characters from the show. **

**Secondly, thanks to everyone who has commented/added this story to your alerts! I appreciate it!**

Emma Sullivan sat up straight with her eyes wide as the plane landed. Admittedly, she was nervous about her visit to Hawaii. Riley had ensured her that Steve would be more than willing to watch over her. Normally, Emma would have scoffed at the idea of needing a babysitter, but given the present circumstances, she was more than happy to have someone looking out for her. She still was not sure exactly what Riley had told Steve.

"Ladies and gentleman, we will begin to disembark from the aircraft momentarily. Our first class passengers can now begin to make their way to the exit door."

Emma stood up and grabbed the carry-on bag from the over-head compartment above her seat. Slinging the duffle bag onto her shoulder, she silently followed the other first class passengers off the plane. Once inside the airport, she steered herself towards the baggage claim. She kept her head down, and her dark blonde ponytail swayed from side to side as she moved. Finally, she reached the baggage claim for her airline and waited for the luggage to appear. Her green eyes nervously scanned the people standing around her. She nearly yelped when someone bumped into her from behind. Spinning around, she saw a little boy reaching down to pick up a toy he'd dropped.

"Get a grip, Emma," she scolded herself quietly. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes. Just as she was exhaling, a strong hand clamped around her left shoulder.

"Emma?"

Green eyes met hazel ones. Emma placed a hand over her racing heart before launching herself into the man's arms. Wrapping her arms around his neck, she hid her face against his chest.

Steve banded his arms around the woman to keep her from falling. He'd been watching her for the past few minutes and couldn't help but notice how skittish she was. The moment she launched herself into his arms he knew something more than a cheating fiancé was going on.

"Hey, hey, you okay?" Steve asked when he heard a hitch in her breathing. Emma didn't answer verbally, but she nodded her head before tightening her arms around him. Steve moved his right hand to cradle the back of her head under her ponytail.

"Shh, you're safe," he whispered against her ear. Emma took a few minutes to compose herself before she pulled away from the warm cocoon of Steve's body.

"Hi," she whispered with a small smile on her face.

"Aloha," Steve returned as the corners of his mouth titled upward. "How many bags do you have?"

"Just one," Emma answered as she turned around to find that the bags were moving towards them. After giving a brief description of her bag, she watched as Steve moved to the carousel and effortlessly plucked her luggage up. Moving back to her, Steve threw his right arm around her shoulders before steering them towards the exit. No words were exchanged as he walked them to a silver Camaro and placed her luggage inside the trunk. Emma smiled at him as held open the passenger side door for her. Steve always was a gentleman. Her mother used to brag on him to her brothers, and wondered why they couldn't be more polite like him.

Steve returned Emma's smile and kept it on his face as his closed her door and crossed in front of the car to climb in the driver's side.

"So what hotel did Riley book for me?" Emma asked as Steve started the car and pulled out of the parking space.

"Actually, he didn't book a hotel. You're going to be staying with me," Steve answered as he maneuvered the car through the airport traffic.

"Oh Steve, I don't want to put you out," Emma said quietly.

"Are you kidding me?" Steve replied as he cast a glance at her. She looked like a frightened little girl. "Emma, you are in no way putting me out."

"Are you sure?" she asked looking over at him.

"I'm positive," Steve answered. "Now, are you hungry?"

"Starving," Emma said with a smile.

"Good, me too," Steve replied. "How about we grab some barbeque?"

"That sounds wonderful," Emma answered before settling more comfortably in her seat. The rest of the ride was silent while the two occupants of the car were lost in their own thoughts.

Steve wondered how in the world Emma had gotten herself to the point of running away from home. Something bad must have happened for her and Riley to find it necessary to come halfway across the world. From what he could see, she didn't look like she'd been physically harmed. There were no bruises or scratches visible on her arms or legs. He wondered though, if the skin under her t-shirt and shorts told a different story.

Emma could not believe how quickly her life had taken such a drastic turn. She had been so happy with her life in Richmond. She loved living there. She had a great group of friends, her family, and a job she loved. All of that changed in the span of twenty-four hours. Now here she was, halfway across the world, away from everyone she knew and loved.

She let out a sigh and leaned her head against the window. _How did everything get so messed up?_


	3. Chapter 3

**Thank you so much for the reviews and the story alerts! **

**Once again, I do not own Hawaii Five-0…Lord help Alex O'Loughlin if I did! LOL**

**Enjoy! **

Steve McGarrett had been trained to operate in the worst of conditions, and he'd successfully been able to do that many times over. But now, he was beginning to realize that his training had not prepared him on how to deal with a woman. Especially a woman hiding a pretty big secret.

A soft sigh from across the hall caused him to turn his gaze from the ceiling to his doorway. Normally he slept with his door closed, but with Emma in the house, he felt he needed to keep a close eye on her. His doorway allowed him to see directly into her room. She was curled up in a ball on her bed with a pillow hugged to her chest.

From what he could tell, Emma hadn't slept much lately. The bags under her eyes that he'd noticed at the airport were a definite sign of sleep deprivation. Steve watched as Emma sighed again and twisted onto her back. He wondered exactly what was going on with her. After grabbing some barbeque to go, they'd eaten in silence at his tiny kitchen table. She'd excused herself to take a shower and go to bed as soon as she had finished eating. Steve had taken that time to call Riley. His fellow SEAL kept the conversation short and thanked Steve again for looking out for his baby sister.

A strangled moan caused Steve to sit up straight in bed. Emma was thrashing around on the bed. Steve got out of his bed and walked quickly across the hall.

"No," Emma whispered in her sleep before letting out another low moan.

"Emma," Steve whispered before reaching out to gently shake her shoulder. When she didn't respond he moved his hand to brush his palm across her forehead. "Emma."

The second time he said her name, her eyes opened and she stared up at him. Steve's breath caught in his throat as he stared at her.

"Steve?" Emma said quietly as she sat up. "What's wrong?"

Steve could only stare at her as she moved into a seated position. She had taken hold of the hand he'd put on her forehead.

"Steve?" Emma repeated as she reached up to lay her hand against his cheek. Her ice cold hand caused him to snap back into reality.

"Are you okay?" he asked quietly.

"Yeah," Emma whispered back. "Are you?"

"Huh?" Steve asked while leaning closer to her.

"Are you okay? You kinda spaced out on me," Emma said with a soft chuckle before meeting his intense stare. Her green eyes widened when she saw his hazel ones fixated on her face. They stared at each other for countless moments before Steve blinked and made his face blank.

"I'm fine," he said before sitting on the edge of the bed. "You were dreaming."

"Was I?" Emma asked while looking down at the quilt on the bed.

"You said 'No'," Steve replied while staring at her as she smoothed the quilt with her small hands.

"I don't remember what it was about," she murmured. Silence lingered between them for a few moments before she spoke again. "I've been having a lot of dreams lately."

"About what?" he asked. When she refused to meet his gaze, he placed his index finger under her chin to force her to look at him. Tears had formed in her eyes, and Steve saw fear in those green orbs as well.

"What did Riley tell you?" Emma asked.

"Your fiancé cheated on you," Steve said quietly while watching her face carefully. Emma let out a soft chuckle before her face turned serious again.

"Riley sucks at making up a story," she said before taking a deep breath. "I'm not engaged, nor have I ever been."

She paused, and Steve reached forward to tuck a piece of hair behind her ear.

"A few weeks ago, I started receiving these notes," she said quietly.

"What kind of notes?" Steve asked with a frown.

"They started off saying things like 'I'm watching you.' and 'I want you,'" Emma said with shiver. "I ignored them for the first week or so, but they became more violent as time went on."

"What do you mean by violent?" Steve asked as that nagging feeling settled deep in his gut.

"He threatened to kill people if I didn't cooperate with him," Emma said while tears fell from her eyes.

"Kill who?" Steve asked as he reached with his right hand to brush away the tears that fell down her cheeks.

"Riley, my parents, my best friend," she said shakily.

"How did he want you to cooperate?" Steve asked gently.

"He wanted me to meet him at this house and move away with him," Emma sighed. "I panicked and called Riley. We went to the police, and they began an investigation. That was two days ago."

"Oh Em," Steve sighed as he pulled her into his arms.

"I have no idea who this guy is. He's come in and completely taken over my life," Emma cried.

"I'm so sorry," Steve murmured against her temple. "You're safe now, Emma."

"But what about my family? What if he hurts them because I didn't stay and do what he wanted?" Emma asked as more tears cascaded down her face.

"Riley will take care of them. I know he's already called in some of the guys we served with. They won't let anything happen to your family," Steve reassured her as he caressed her back. Emma sighed deeply before tightening her arms around Steve's abdomen.

Steve had no idea how long they stayed like that, but after a while he heard her breathing change. He realized that she'd fallen asleep, so he carefully laid her back on the bed and covered her with the quilt. He tiptoed to the door before turning back to look at her. She looked like an angel laying there with her hair spread out around her.

"You're safe with me, Em," he whispered before slowly making his way back to his own bed.


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: Don't own Hawaii Five-0.**

**Thanks to all who've been reading/reviewing/adding this story! You are the BEST!**

**Enjoy! **

The next morning, Emma awoke to find herself more rested than she could remember being in the past few weeks. While contemplating whether or not to check on Steve, she inhaled and stretched her arms above her head. That's when she smelled it.

Coffee.

"Oh Steve, I believe you are a god," Emma said with a laugh before heading across the hall to the bathroom. After brushing her hair and throwing it into a ponytail, she headed downstairs only to discover an empty kitchen. She stilled her movements and listened carefully for a moment. Steve was nowhere to be seen or heard. Shrugging her shoulders, Emma moved to the coffee pot. There she found an empty mug waiting for her. She poured herself a cup before adding two sugars.

As she took her first sip, she noticed a newspaper on the counter. The picture on the cover captured her attention immediately. Steve was placing handcuffs on this man, and she honestly swore she'd never seen a sexier sight in all her life. Transfixed by the photo and article, she braced her elbows against the counter and began to read.

She was interrupted several minutes later by a male voice.

"Sweet Jesus," an unfamiliar voice practically groaned. Emma's eyes widened before she turned around to see a man standing in the doorway to the kitchen with his eyes glued to her body. Emma immediately realized that her shorts were a little too short and tight. Her face flushed crimson.

"Um, you seen Steve?" the guy asked while his gaze moved over her curves.

"Who are you?" Emma asked.

"Oh, I'm Danny. Steve's partner," the guy said before stepping forward to offer his hand in greeting. Emma eyed him carefully before tentatively reaching out to accept his handshake. This was the guy Steve had mentioned at dinner the night before. She felt relief course through her system when she saw his badge attached to his belt. He was only a few inches taller than her and had sandy blonde hair. He was attractive, and had a distinct New Jersey accent.

"I'm Emma, and I haven't seen Steve this morning," she said. "You want coffee?"

"I appreciate the offer, but I've got to get to work," he said with a smile.

"Oh okay," Emma replied before something past his shoulder caught her eye. Steve had just entered the house. From the looks of it, he'd been out for a run. Sweat glistened on his face and bare chest. Emma lost the ability to think as he came closer.

After slapping Danny on the back, Steve moved his gaze to look at the petite woman standing in his kitchen. His already dry mouth turned to cotton as he took in her appearance.

"Damn," he whispered softly.

"How was the run?" Danny asked with a smirk on his face.

"Huh?" Steve asked tearing his gaze away from Emma, who had buried her face behind the newspaper.

"Nothing, man," Danny chuckled. "We got a case."

"Alright, I'll be down in five," Steve said while looking at his partner. As he turned to leave the kitchen, he cast one more glance at Emma. _Do not even go there_ a voice in his head shouted. Steve grimaced slightly before heading upstairs. As he showered and got ready for work, he kept telling himself that he needed to get his mind out of the gutter where Emma was concerned.

When Steve returned downstairs, Emma was seated at the kitchen table eating a piece of toast while Danny sat across from her talking animatedly about Grace.

"She's the best kid, Emma," Danny said with a smile.

"She sounds like it," Emma returned. "I'd love to meet her."

"You'll love her," Steve said from behind her. Emma turned to face him with a smile.

"I bet," she said.

"Listen, Em, we've got to head in. Are you going to be okay by yourself here?" Steve asked.

"Of course," Emma replied.

"Here are the keys to my truck, and here's my cell number. Call me if you need anything at all. There's a GPS in the truck if you want to go anywhere," Steve said as he handed her a set of keys and a piece of paper. "Do me a favor though. If you leave the house, please text me to let me know."

"Thanks, Steve," Emma said accepting the keys and paper. "I'd love to do that but Riley took my cell phone before I left. So I'm phoneless right now."

"Good thinking, Sullivan," Steve said with a smile. "Tell you what. I'll go by the store, add a line to my plan, and bring the phone back to you in a few hours. Is that okay?"

"Sure, but let me give you some money to get a phone," Emma said before standing up to get her purse. Steve stopped her by gently grabbing her arm.

"No way I'm taking money from you, kid," Steve said before pulling away from her. _Damn, _he thought. Even touching her caused his insides to heat. He was seriously going to have to get a grip and quick.

"But," Emma protested as Steve and Danny made their way to the front door.

"No buts, Em," Steve said. "I'll see you soon."

And with that, he left a stunned Emma standing in his living room.


	5. Chapter 5

**Hi everyone! I'm so sorry it's been over a month since I last updated. Things have been crazy with work! (The life of a teacher!)**

**Anywho, thank you for the AMAZING comments and for sticking with this story! I promise I won't go that long again without updating!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Hawaii Five-0 or any characters from the show. **

**Enjoy! **

"So," Danny began after a lengthy silence in the car on their way into the station. "Who's Emma?"

"She's an old friend's little sister," Steve answered while keeping his gaze focused on the road.

"And why is she here?" Danny asked. Steve did not answer at first as he thought about what to tell his partner. In the end, he opted for the truth.

"Emma has a stalker back home in Richmond, Virgina. Her brother, Riley, thought it would be best if she left for a while. He and several of our SEAL buddies are helping the police look for this guy right now," Steve replied.

"Did this guy hurt her?" Danny asked as his protective side kicked in. If this woman was important enough for Steve to take into his home, then she would be important to Danny too.

"No, not according to what she's told me so far," Steve said quietly.

"But you don't believe that?" Danny questioned.

"It's not that I don't believe it. It's just that I know Emma is still keeping things from me. I know she's not doing it to be secretive, but this guy scared the hell out of her. I had to wake her up from a nightmare last night," Steve said with anger lacing his voice.

"Damn," Danny muttered. "Look you let me know if you need anything. We can help out with the investigation as well if you can get Emma to open up more."

"That's my plan, Dan," Steve said with a smirk while pulling into the parking lot of Five-0 headquarters. Once inside, Steve pulled Kono and Chin into his office along with Danny. He explained the situation to them as well. Steve McGarrett was not the kind of man to keep secrets from his team. Especially something as big as this.

"Poor Emma," Kono said sympathetically. "Steve, let me know if there is anything I can to help."

"Thanks, Kono," Steve replied with a smile at the young woman he now thought of as a little sister.

"Same here, bro," Chin said.

"Thanks," Steve repeated. "I'm going to run out and grab a phone for Emma. I'll be back in about an hour."

The team nodded their agreement before getting busy on paperwork for their most recent case.

Emma slowly made her way down the stairs of the McGarrett house about an hour later. She'd just showered and thrown on a pair of white shorts and a purple tank top. She opted to let her blonde hair go curly instead of straightening it like usual. She'd applied a minimal amount of make-up—powder, light purple eye shadow, mascara, and lip gloss.

She made her way into the kitchen and began taking inventory of the food in the refrigerator and pantry. From the looks of it, Steve was a T.V. dinner kind of guy. Shaking her head, Emma decided that that would have to change while she was here. She grabbed a pen and pad of paper from the drawer nearest the phone.

Just as she was beginning to make grocery list, the front door opened.

"Emma?" Steve's voice rang out.

"Kitchen," she replied while continuing her list. Steve followed her voice and couldn't help but smile at the picture she painted standing barefoot in his kitchen. Her blonde curls and waves framed her angelic face that had the cutest spattering of freckles across the nose and cheeks.

"What are you doing?" he asked walking closer to her. Emma glanced up from her list to smile at him.

"Making a grocery list," she answered as he hopped up onto the counter next to where she was standing.

"Good," Steve said. "I can grab whatever you need on the way home."

"Well, I was planning to go once you got back with the phone," Emma said with a grin.

"That works too," Steve replied. "Here's your phone by the way."

Emma dropped the pen she was using to take the iPhone out of his outstretched hand. She made her way to the contacts page and smiled when she saw that he'd already put his number there.

"I also added Danny's number as well as my two other partners' numbers," Steve explained.

"Kono and Chin, right?" Emma asked remembering him talking about them at dinner the night before.

"Right," Steve said with a smile before his face turned serious. "I know this is going to be hard, but I think it would be best if you didn't make any contact with anyone on the mainland, Emma."

"Yeah, Riley said the same thing," Emma said with a hint of sadness in her voice. "I don't think I've ever gone this long without talking to my mom."

"I know, Em," Steve said hopping down of the counter and pulling her into his arms. "But, it's so important that this guy does not find out where you are before Riley and the guys can find him."

"I know," Emma murmured as she wrapped her arms around his waist and rested her head against his chest. The sound of his strong heartbeat instantly calmed her.

"I hate to go, but I've got to get back to work," Steve said a few minutes later as he slowly pulled away from her. It took everything he had not to kiss those gorgeous pink lips of hers, but somehow he managed to stop himself.

"Ok, be careful," Emma replied as she followed him to the front door. "I'll be leaving in just a few minutes to go head to the store."

"Ok," Steve said as he walked through the door and turned to look at her. The sight her standing in his doorway saying goodbye to him felt entirely too right for Steve's taste. "Do you know where you're going?"

"I was planning to go to the grocery store we passed last night on the way here," Emma said.

"Good," Steve returned. "Just text me when you get back home."

"I will," Emma promised before watching him retreat to the silver Camaro. Once he was inside, he waved at her before pulling out of the driveway. Emma went back inside and slipped on a pair of white sandals. She grabbed her purse, new cell phone, and Steve's keys to his truck before locking up the house on her way out.

As Steve made his way into his house several hours later, the scent of Italian food immediately caught his attention. Heading directly for the kitchen, he found it empty. He opened the door to the stove only to find the best looking lasagna he'd ever seen or smelled. After closing the door, he noticed a large bowl filled with lettuce, tomatoes, carrot slices, onions, and cucumbers sitting on the counter next to the refrigerator.

"There you are," Emma's voice drifted to him from the back door. "I thought we could eat outside so I was setting the table."

"That sounds good to me," Steve replied. "Emma, that lasagna smells incredible."

"Thank you," Emma blushed. "It's actually my mom's recipe, and one of my favorites. I think I remember it being one of yours too."

"Well, you know I love anything your mom cooks, but her lasagna was definitely my favorite," Steve said with a smile. "How'd you remember that?

"You Navy SEALS aren't the only ones who pay close attention to details," Emma answered with a smirk before grabbing a bottle of white wine from the refrigerator. "I bought red too if you'd rather have that."

"White's good with me," Steve said as he grabbed two wine glasses from the top shelf. He sat them on the counter and took the bottle from Emma's hand. While he poured, she pulled the tantalizing lasagna and a tray of warm garlic bread from the oven. Steve turned to watch her as she began making two plates.

"I could get use to this," he said softly.

"What'd you say?" Emma asked a minute later as she turned to hand him a plate with a smile on her face.

"Just that this smells delicious and I'm starving," Steve replied before taking his plate and following her outside. The sway of her hips in those white shorts definitely had more than his stomach thinking that he could get use to having her around.

He was in deep trouble.


	6. Chapter 6

**Thank you for the reviews! You are AMAZING!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Hawaii Five-0 or the characters from the show. **

**Enjoy!**

The sound of soft breathing from the bed kept Steve posed at the door for a moment longer. He and the gang had the day off, and everyone had decided to head to the beach to surf and hang out. Steve knew that getting Emma out of the house and around other people would be good for her, but at the moment he hated to wake her up. She looked so peaceful sleeping with the white sheet draped across her small body. He could tell she was wearing a white tank top, but he dared not think about the other clothing, or lack thereof, she might have on as well.

After watching her sleep for a minute longer, he silently made his way to the bed. He leaned down and gently rubbed her exposed shoulder with his right hand.

"Emma?" he whispered. A soft moan left her lips that had him jerking his hand away immediately. Taking a step back from the bed, Steve watching in fascination as Emma stretched languorously in the bed like a cat. After a minute or so, she opened her eyes and their gazes clashed.

"Morning," she said softly before sitting up in the bed and fussing with her hair.

"Um, morning," Steve said after a moment. "Listen, the gang from work is heading down to one of our favorite spots on the beach. Want to come with us?"

Emma nodded her head yes before letting out a yawn. Steve chuckled at her as he made his way to the door.

"I'll meet you downstairs in fifteen minutes," he called as he walked out. Emma simply waved her hand at him before dragging herself from the bed. In all honesty, she'd drank a little too much wine the night before, but she'd never admit that to anyone, especially Steve.

After brushing her teeth, washing her face, and pulling her hair up into a messy bun, she went in search of clothes. She quickly put on a white bikini with denim cuts off and a pink tank top over it. After slipping her feet into a pair of flip flops and grabbing her beach bag, she made her way downstairs.

Steve had been busy packing a picnic lunch as well as cooler full of drinks. He'd even laid out several beach towels and chairs for them to take.

"I'm ready to starting loading up the truck," he said with a smile when he saw her. Emma smiled in return and grabbed a handful of towels before heading out to the vehicle. After they had the truck loaded down with their supplies, Steve locked up the house and then joined her in the truck.

"You ready?" he asked before sliding on a pair of sunglasses. All Emma could do was nod her head as she stared at him from behind her own sunglasses. The man was seriously the sexiest thing she'd ever laid her eyes on. It amazed her how the sight of him in a pair of freaking sunglasses could make her lose all rational thought.

The ride to the beach was a quiet one. Steve was desperately trying not to imagine what those white strings hanging around Emma's neck would reveal once they reached the beach. Emma, on the other hand, was lost in the thought of seeing Steve run around shirtless. Neither of them, however, had any clue what the other was thinking or they'd both be beyond embarrassed.

Once they arrived and parked, Steve grabbed the cooler and beach chairs while Emma grabbed her bag along with their towels. Blindly following her "babysitter" as she liked to think of him, Emma almost slammed into that muscled back when Steve stopped suddenly. After steadying herself, Emma glanced around his arm to see Danny perched on a surfboard in the sand. It appeared that a young Hawaiian woman was giving him surfing lessons while a little girl around the age of nine watched with excitement on her face.

"You're doing great, Danno," the child called to the short, stocky man who returned her smile.

"Why thank you, Grace," Danny replied seconds before his gaze met his partner's. "Took you long enough."

"Hey, I'm here, aren't I?" Steve shot back before placing their stuff in the sand and setting up the foldable chairs.

"I believe our tardiness is my fault," Emma said with a blush creeping across her face. "Steve had a hard time waking me up."

"I'll bet," Danny whispered. Steve's gaze shot to his before giving him a look of warning. Emma failed to hear his comment as the Hawaiian woman stepped forward to introduce herself.

"Hi, I'm Kono. You must be the infamous Emma," she said with a pretty smile on her face.

"Hi! It's nice to meet you," Emma replied cheerfully. "Infamous, huh?"

"Yeah, Danny couldn't shut up about you yesterday," Kono said as she shot the short detective a smile. Emma did the same, but a feeling of hurt hit her dead in the chest. She'd hoped that Steve had been the one talking about her, but this was just a reminder that falling for Steve McGarrett was a bad idea for a lot of reasons. First of all, he happened to be one of her brother's best friends. No matter how she tried, she couldn't think of one reason why Riley would be happy about her and Steve. Second of all, she was being stalked, and that was the only reason why Steve was even giving her the time of day. It would be better if she would just stop while she was ahead.

"So, Emma, this is my Grace," Danny said as introduced the cute kid.

"Hi there, Grace," Emma said as she stuck out her hand. The girl placed her smaller hand in Emma's and smiled up at her.

"You were right, Danno. She's really pretty," Grace said looking between her father and Emma, who blushed again.

"Danny!" Steve yelled as he finished setting up the chairs and cooler. "What the hell, man?"

"Ah, Steve, cut him some slack," a new voice said as a Hawaiian man joined the group. "Danny's just happy to see a haole woman who's not a tourist."

The group laughed at the man's joke while he turned to face Emma. She took in his dark features and easy smile, and she instantly knew he was someone she could trust.

"Chin-Ho Kelly," he said as he took her hand. "Nice to meet you, Emma."

"Thank you, Chin-Ho. Same to you," she returned. Within minutes the group was taking to the water for surfing and swimming. While Kono and the guys went to catch a few waves, Emma and Grace decided to body surf near the beach.

"Are you a police officer like my dad?" Grace asked Emma as they waded in the water.

"No, I'm actually a nurse," Emma replied.

"Cool! I'd like to be a nurse or a doctor when I grow up," Grace said excitedly. "Do you have to clean up a lot of bloody people?"

Emma laughed before answering. "Not too much. I'm a pediatric nurse so I mostly work with babies and younger kids."

"Oh, that's cool," Grace replied quietly. The two made small talk for the next half hour until the gang decided it was time to eat. While they all sat on the beach eating their lunches, Steve's phone rang. He frowned when he looked at the screen before standing up and walking away from the group. No one seemed to pay any attention to him except Emma. She followed his movements and noticed he seemed tense. After a few minutes, he returned quietly to the group.

"Everything ok?" she whispered leaning close to him. Steve's gaze clashed with hers as he stared at her for a moment before responding.

"Yeah," he replied quietly. After that, the group headed back to the water with the exception of Steve. He stayed on the beach making phone calls. As Emma watched him, she couldn't help but think that something was going on. And judging by the look on Steve McGarrett's face, it wasn't something good.


	7. Chapter 7

**Thank you so much for the awesome reviews! I loving read them!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Hawaii Five-0 or the characters from the show…**

The stars shone brightly in the sky above as Steve sat on the back deck of his house. A warm bottle of beer hung loosely in his right hand as he blankly stared up at the sky. He could feel the warm, steady breeze coming from the ocean. Numbly, he brought the beer bottle to his lips and took a long drink.

After the phone call he'd received at the beach earlier that day, he'd been quiet. Everyone had noticed the change in him, especially Emma. The car ride back home had been a silent one, and she'd disappeared upstairs as soon as they had arrived. The sound of running water caused Steve to groan aloud as the thought of Emma in the shower had an immediate effect on his body.

Shaking his head as if to rid himself of those thoughts, Steve let his mind return to the phone call. Riley had phoned to let Steve know that they had a break in the investigation into Emma's stalker. They found fingerprints around the window sill of her bedroom window that happened to match a set of fingerprints they had collected from inside her locker at work. The bad news was that so far the prints were not found in any database.

Steve knew that it was only a matter of time before they found this guy. Riley and several of his fellow SEALs were working around the clock. It bothered Steve that he couldn't do more to help at the moment. He knew his job was to keep Emma safe, but he wished he was in Richmond when they caught this bastard so he could kick his ass for putting that constant look of fear in Emma's eyes.

Once again, his thoughts drifted to the blonde-haired woman upstairs in the shower. If the situation had been different, he'd have been in there with her. That thought caused a certain part of his anatomy to jolt awake. Steve cursed himself as he stood up and began walking towards the water. There was no way in hell he'd ever keep his hands to himself if he went inside the house now. He'd completely stripped by the time he'd reached the water's edge. After diving in, he catapulted through the water at record speed.

Within ten minutes, Emma emerged from the house. She'd look for Steve after she'd gotten out of the shower and had no luck finding him inside. Walking towards the water, she instinctively knew he'd be there. Steve was a SEAL to the core, and when he was frustrated he went to the one place that relaxed him—the ocean. Emma dropped down to the sand beside his clothes as she waited for him. Her eyes searched the water for any sign of him. After a few minutes, his dark head broke the surface of the water about twenty feet out. Neither of them moved as they stared at each other.

Finally, Steve rose out of the water and began walking towards the shore. Emma nearly swallowed her tongue when she saw he was only wearing a pair of black boxer briefs that were currently plastered to the lower part of his body leaving absolutely nothing to the imagination.

Steve, on the other hand, was desperately fighting his raging libido and the fact that Emma was sitting there in a pair of tiny shorts and a tank top with no bra.

"Have a good swim?" Emma croaked out as she stood with his clothes in her hands.

Steve only nodded his head in reply as he reached out to take the clothing from her. His fingers brushed against hers and an electric current shot up both of their arms. Emma jumped slightly and Steve let out a strangled groan.

"You'd better get back inside, Emma," Steve said softly as he turned away from her.

Emma stood there in shock for several moments not because of his words but because of the reason why he had turned around so quickly.

"Steve, I—" Emma began. She was cut off when he swung around, dropped the clothes he was holding, and grabbed her by the shoulders.

"Emma, if you don't go inside, I'm about to do something we'll both regret later," Steve said with an unsteady voice. Instead of fleeing like he thought she would, Emma stood still with desire clouding her green orbs. After what seemed like an eternity to Emma, Steve moved his hands up to cradle her face. His hazel eyes burned with an intense passion that Emma could practically feel in her bones. Slowly his head descended towards hers. Emma drew in a breath just as his lips hovered centimeters from her own.

That's when it happened.

His phone rang.

Steve pulled away quickly from Emma before removing the phone from his pants pocket and stalking towards the house. Emma stood there on the beach in complete shock at what almost happened. The worst part for her wasn't that he walked away, but that she desperately wanted to know what it felt like to totally and completely possessed by Steve McGarrett.

A shiver ran across her spine causing her to wrap her arms around herself. She turned and went back inside the house. All was quiet as she walked up the stairs. She paused when she came to the landing and saw that Steve's door was closed. Sighing in defeat, Emma went to her room and softly closed the door.


	8. Chapter 8

**Thank you so much for your patience between updates! I hope this one will make up for it! **

**PS—Listen to the song "Life is Beautiful" by Vega 4 when you read this (youtube!). It fits Emma and Steve quite perfectly I think!**

_Be ready in 20 min. Going to the range._

Emma stared at the text on her phone in confusion. Steve had spent the past four days completely avoiding her after their almost kiss. He was gone before she woke each morning and returned home after she had gone to bed.

"This is getting ridiculous," Emma said aloud to the empty kitchen before letting out a loud groan. She spent the next ten minutes putting on her shoes, brushing her hair, and gathering her purse and cell phone.

Just as she was coming down the stairs, the sound of a car horn reached her ears. Looking outside, she saw the silver Camaro Steve had been driving. Emma gritted her teeth as she set the alarm, locked the door, and walked to the car.

About fifteen minutes later, Emma followed Steve in the gun range. He still had not spoken a word to her. She was minutes away from exploding with frustration.

"Hi, sir. Just two?" the clerk behind the counter asked.

"Yes," Steve replied before handing him a card. Within a minute, they were being escorted into a room with several booths. Steve led Emma to one in the middle before pulling his weapon out of its holster.

"Have you ever shot one of these before?" Steve asked while they both put on ear muffs.

"Oh, learned how to speak, did you?" Emma quipped before taking the gun out of his hands. She checked the magazine, disengaged the safety, and took aim at the target.

"Em—" Steve began but was cut off as she quite expertly emptied the clip into the target. He stood there in amazement staring at this spitfire that set his blood on fire each day. She never ceased to amaze him.

"Yeah, I've shot a gun before, Commander. I was raised in the Navy, remember?" Emma spat at him before handing the gun back and throwing the ear muffs to the table. She turned on her heel and stalked from the room towards the entrance. It took Steve a minute to catch up with her and by the time he did, she was almost to the car. He grabbed hold of her arm and spun her around to face him.

"What is your problem?" he asked her roughly.

"You know damn well what my problem is, McGarrett," she replied angrily.

"Look, Emma, the other night was a mistake. I never should have done that," Steve said.

"You didn't do anything!" Emma shouted at him before attempting to pull away from his grasp. This caused him to tighten his hold and pull her closer to him.

"I put you in a situation that has now caused strain between us and I should not have done that," Steve said with his riveted to hers.

"It's a little late for apologies," Emma said as she struggled to pull away from him.

"Stop that!" Steve demanded before he pushed her up against the side of the Camaro. He pinned her small body with his larger one and clasped his hands around her wrists.

"Let me go," Emma whispered as she panted out breaths that were very unsteady. Every puff of breath hit Steve squarely on the neck and caused his skin to erupt in goosebumps.

"Emma, please listen to me," Steve pleaded as he locked gazes with her. "I never should have been that close to you, but so help me God it's all I can do to keep my distance. Do you honestly not see what you've done to me?"

All of the fight left Emma with his whispered confession. She took stock of his eyes and saw the raw, unadulterated passion lurking there. Deciding to finally put both of them out of their misery, she closed the short distance between their lips.

Steve stood utterly still as Emma's heavenly lips met his. For a second he let them rest there just content to her lips in contact with his. But after that second, Steve's libido took over and he slanted his mouth across hers.

Emma sucked in a breath as Steve took her simple kiss to the next level. He nibbled at her lips before sweeping his tongue across the seam. Emma eagerly opened for him and met his tongue with her own.

Steve thought he was going to literally explode when Emma's tongue caressed his own. He brought his hands up to cradle her face while Emma's much smaller hands clutched the t-shirt that rested against the broad expanse of his chest.

Minutes passed before the sound of Steve's phone interrupted them. They continued to kiss for another minute before the phone silenced and then started ringing again. Steve reluctantly pulled back from Emma before dropping his forehead to rest against hers.

"Is that Danny?" Emma asked quietly. Steve nodded his head against hers. "You'd better get that."

Steve groaned before placing one last kiss to her bruised lips. He grabbed the offensive device attached to his hip and answered it as it began to ring again.

"What?" he barked. He was silent for several moments. "Shit, I'll be there in about fifteen minutes."

"Everything okay?" Emma asked.

"No," Steve said before opening her door. After she got in, he ran around to the driver's side and quickly steered them towards home. It was funny to him that he now thought of his house as Emma's as well. "We had another body turn up on the beach about 30 minutes ago. I've got to go back to work."

"Oh no," Emma muttered. "Be careful."

"Always," Steve replied as he pulled into the driveway and pulled up near the front door. "I'll let you know if I'm going to be late."

"Okay," Emma whispered before opening the door and getting out.

"Hey, Emma," Steve called before she closed the door. Emma stuck her head back into the opening. "I'm not sorry for kissing you."

Emma smiled at him in reply before closing the door and watching him drive away. She felt like she floated towards the house. A huge grin was etched on her face as she unlocked the door and went to turn off the security alarm. As her finger hit the first key an odd thought struck Emma. Normally the alarm beeped continuously until the code was keyed in on the pad. But now, the alarm was making no noise. Emma frowned as she looked at the display panel.

_Alarm disengaged._

Warning bells went off in her brain as she turned to survey the house. The sight that met her had her blood running cold.


	9. Chapter 9

Emma stared in disbelief at the sight before her. There stretched out on the living room sofa was a dark-haired, dark-eyed woman wearing nothing more than a scrap cloth over her abdomen.

"Who are you?" the woman asked as she slowly sat up and pulled the blanket from back of the sofa over her body.

"Emma," the shocked younger woman managed to whisper as her brain ultimately made the connection that this woman was here for Steve."

"Emma?" the woman questioned as she blinked rapidly trying to process the name. "Wait! Are you Riley's younger sister?"

"Yes," Emma said a bit more loudly than her last reply. "How do you know Riley?"

"He and Steve are friends, and we've met several times over the past few years," the woman said as she stood and wrapped the blanket around body. She crossed the living room to stand directly in front of Emma who was still standing in the doorway with the front door wide open. "I'm Catherine."

"Catherine?" Emma asked quietly. "I don't think…I mean I don't remember hearing about you."

"Well, Steve isn't exactly the kiss and tell kinda guy, if you know what I mean," the brunette said with a wink before picking up her discarded clothes. "I'm assuming that he's still at work."

"Yes," Emma said as she finally found the ability to move her body and crossed the living room towards the stairs.

"Are you staying here?" Catherine asked.

"Yes, just for a while," Emma replied before starting up the stairs.

"Would you mind telling Steve that I stopped by?" Catherine asked after she had donned her clothing.

"Sure," Emma said as she watched the other woman walk out the door. On shaky legs, Emma managed to make it to her bed before collapsing. She must have sat there for nearly an hour before she decided to get up. Needing to go somewhere to clear her head, she changed into a swimsuit and headed for the beach behind Steve's house.

An hour later, Steve walked through the front door.

"Emma!" he called as he jogged up the stairs. He was surprised to find her bedroom, and his, empty. Heading back down the stairs, he did a quick surveillance of the living room and kitchen. When he didn't find her, Steve made his way out the back door.

"Emma!" he shouted when he noticed a towel and pair of flip flops lying on the strip of beach in behind his house. He sprinted to the edge of the water. He was about to dive in when he caught a glimpse of creamy white skin, blonde hair, and a purple bathing suit swimming his way. Steve let out a breath he didn't realize he'd been holding in. He waited patiently as she swam towards the shore. Swooping down, he grabbed her towel and met her as she walked out of the water.

"Hi," she said quietly as he wrapped the towel around her shoulders.

"Hi yourself," Steve replied with a smile before bending down and pressing his lips to hers. Emma let herself get lost in his kiss for a moment before pulling back. "What's wrong?"

"You should call Catherine," Emma said as she stepped around him and headed for the house.

"What do you mean?" he asked following closely behind her.

"She was here when I got home earlier, but she decided to leave when she realized you were still working," Emma said as she stepped onto the back porch. Steve quickly caught her by the left elbow and carefully turned her around to face him.

"What did she say to you?" Steve asked.

"Just what I told you. She was very friendly, and she even remembered Riley," Emma said as she stared into Steve's eyes.

"We need to talk about this," Steve said quietly. "I need to explain some things to you."

"You don't have to explain anything to me, Steve," Emma said as she turned to walk into the house. "You had a life a before I came here and you'll have one after I leave. There's no sense in me messing up any relationship you already have."

"Emma, wait," Steve demanded as she headed towards the stairs. Not expecting the petite blonde to wheel on him, Steve had to jump back when she did just that.

"No, Steve, I won't wait. We both need to stick to the plan, which is you letting me stay here while my brother tries to find this creep that's been stalking me. Nowhere in that plan did any of us ever agree for you and me to get involved. It's just not going to work, okay?" Emma shouted before marching up the stairs and slamming the door to her room.

"Damn," Steve whispered. _Back to square one_ he thought before picking up his phone and calling Catherine. He needed to get this cleared up ASAP so he could find a way to convince Emma that she was not just a part of a plan to him. She was _his _plan now, and he had no intention of just sending her back home when this was over.


	10. Chapter 10

Steve stood on the beach near Kamekona's joint taking in the site of the waves rolling in. He was lost in thought when he heard a noise.

"Long time no see, Commander," a voice said from behind him. Steve swung around to see Catherine standing there with a smile on her face.

"Hey," Steve replied as she stepped forward to give him a hug. Steve reciprocated the hug before pulling back and motioning for her to have a seat on the bench behind them. Once they were seated, he started to speak.

"I heard you met Emma today," he said quietly.

"Yeah, I did. She's just like Riley described her, except a lot more grown up than I expected," Catherine said with a chuckle. Steve smiled slightly at her words. "I take it that she's more than just Riley's baby sister."

"What makes you think that?" Steve asked.

"Come on, Steve, I've known you for years now. I can tell when you have feelings for someone. Your eyes lit up when you said her name," Catherine said quietly.

"I didn't mean for this to happen," Steve said.

"I get it, Steve. Besides, it's not like we were ever exclusive. Let's face it, I'm not willing to leave the Navy and you obviously aren't willing to leave Hawaii. It was never really going to work with us," Catherine said as she laid her hand over his.

"Thanks for being so understanding. I just wish I'd had a chance to talk to you before this afternoon. I think I've taken about five steps back with Emma since then," Steve said solemnly.

"Well, she'll come around. Just use that infamous McGarrett charm on her. She won't be able to resist it, trust me," Catherine said before standing. Steve joined her and they embraced one last time. "See you around."

"Yeah," Steve replied as he watched her walk away.

"Wow, you let that go?" Kamekona asked as he watched Catherine disappear around the side of his building.

"You wouldn't understand," Steve said with a smile. "I'll take two fried shrimp plates to go."

"Oh, I see. You have a new lady?" Kamekona asked with a grin. Steve just smiled in reply before handing him the money to pay for the food.

Thirty minutes later, Steve walked through the front door of his house. After closing the door, he turned around to head towards the kitchen only to stop in his tracks. There on the floor was his Emma doing what appeared to be a yoga pose. All Steve could focus on was the skin tight black pants and sports bra that barely concealed her body. He honestly had no clue how long he stood there watching her.

"Steve?" Emma asked as she rose from the floor once she caught sight of him.

"I did not realize you were that flexible," Steve said as he continued to stare at her.

"Well I was a dancer for most of my life, and yoga helps me relax," Emma said as she started walking towards the kitchen. Steve followed blindly behind her as he watched her backside. "What do you have there?"

"Huh?" he asked as his eyes rose to meet hers.

"What's in the bag? It smells good," Emma said with a smile.

"Oh, I stopped by Kamekona's and picked up some fried shrimp. I thought we could have dinner together and talk," Steve replied before he began pulling the food from the bags. Emma watched him quietly as he set the food on the kitchen table.

"I thought we agreed that we didn't need to talk about it anymore," Emma said quietly.

"No, you said that. I never agreed to leave it alone, Emma. I can't leave it alone," Steve said as he pulled out a chair for her. Emma watched him for a moment before taking the seat he offered her. Steve walked around to the other side of the table and sat across from her.

"This is really good," Emma said after taking a bit.

"I'll tell Kamekona you like it," Steve replied with a smile. He watched her eat for a few minutes before he started to speak again. "I talked to Catherine today."

"Really?" Emma asked after a few seconds.

"Yeah. She and I agreed that our relationship, if you even really want to call it that, has been over for quite some time now. It was never going to work out for us and I think we both knew it," Steve said watching Emma's face for any sign of response.

"Well, I'm glad you were able to get that worked out," Emma said while looking at him before taking another bite.

"Emma, I want to be with you and only you," Steve said as he reached across the table to take her right hand in with his left.

"Oh, Steve," Emma whispered as she looked at him. "How could this ever work? Once I get the clear from Riley, then I'm going back to Virginia."

"I could get a job in Virginia," Steve said quietly.

"But you love Hawaii!" Emma said in shock.

"Emma, Hawaii is just a place. I can be happy anywhere as long as I'm with the right person," Steve said honestly.

"I could never ask you to do that," Emma said as she tightened her grip on his hand.

"I know you wouldn't, but I would never ask you to give up your home or family either," Steve said.

"I honestly don't know if I even want to go back to Virginia. After everything that has happened there, I just don't know if I want to be there anymore," Emma said quietly.

"Baby, you can't let this guy take everything away from you," Steve said as he stroked her hand.

"Have you heard anything else from Riley?" Emma asked.

"Well, he said they keep hitting brick walls. It's like the guy knows all the moves the police are going to make it before they make them," Steve said. "I'm beginning to think he's one of them."

"One of them?" Emma asked in confusion.

"A cop," Steve replied. He watched Emma's eyes widen before she jerked her hand out of his grasp. "Don't the cops know where I am?"

"Just the lead detective," Steve said. "They've managed to keep your location under wraps."

Emma sat there staring at her plate for the longest time before she raised her head and locked eyes with Steve.

"Maybe someone should let the cat out of the bag."

"What?" Steve asked in shock.

"If this guy finds out where I am, he would more than likely come here, right?"

"Emma, I'm not taking that chance!" Steve shouted as he stood.

"But, Steve, don't you see? This is unfamiliar territory for him. You guys would have the advantage here," Emma tried to reason with him.

"No way," Steve said as he paced the length of the kitchen. "I'm not taking any chances with you."

"Steve, just consider it," Emma said as she stood up and crossed over to him. "Please."

Steve stared at her for a few moments before pulling her into his arms and placing his lips on hers. This time, Emma didn't pull away.


	11. Chapter 11

Sighing contentedly, Emma snuggled closer to the warmth on her right. Her left hand landed on warm flesh and she opened her eyes briefly to get a look at the man lying beside her. Golden brown skin, dark hair, and chiseled features caused a smile to break out across her face in the moonlight. Tentatively, she let her hand wander up to trace the line of his jaw.

"Hmm," Steve groaned softly as he felt Emma's hand on his face. "Can't sleep?"

"No, I'm too wired," Emma said with a quiet chuckle. Steve let a smile grace his face as he pulled her closer to his body.

"You feeling okay?" he asked before placing a kiss on her forehead.

"I'm great," Emma replied as she leaned forward to meet his lips with her own. Within moments, they were a mess of tangled limbs and sheets as they made love for the third time that night. Afterwards, Steve kept Emma close to him as they both fell into a deep slumber.

Later that morning, after making coffee and going for a run, Steve picked up his phone to call Riley. While he waited for his friend to answer, he silently prayed he was doing the right thing.

"Hello?"

"Riley, it's Steve. How's it going?" Steve said.

"Frustrating as all get out," Riley replied. "I just wish we could find this guy so Emma can get back to her life."

"I completely understand," Steve sighed. "Listen, Emma and I were talking last night and she had an idea. I just want you to know that I'm not agreeing to this completely yet, but she had a good point."

"Yeah? What's that?" Riley asked.

"I'm thinking this guy is more than likely a cop, right?" Steve said.

"That's my thinking too," Riley replied.

"Well Emma thinks you should let the lead detective announce to the other officers where she is," Steve said before pausing.

"Excuse me?" Riley asked quietly. "You mean to tell me she wants to take a chance on this creep coming after her again?"

"I'm with you, man, but she does have a point. At least here we would have the upper hand because this is familiar territory for us. This guy would be at a real disadvantage," Steve pointed out.

The other end of the line was silent for a moment before Riley finally responded.

"Emma's sure about this?" he asked.

"Yes," Steve said as he watched her walk into the kitchen wearing his shirt from the night before. She walked up to him and laid her head against his chest. Steve wrapped his free arm around her before dropping a kiss to the crown of her head.

"Alright, let's do it," Riley said before hanging up.

"What did he say?" Emma asked as Steve put his phone the countertop.

"We're on," he replied before kissing her lips. "Are you absolutely sure about this?"

"Yes," Emma said without hesitating. "I want my life back."


	12. Chapter 12

Two days later, Steve sat beside Emma in the lobby of the airport as they waited for Riley's plane to land. After announcing Emma's current whereabouts, Riley decided to head to Hawaii to help protect his baby sister.

"You okay?" Steve asked as he took Emma's hand in his and linked their fingers together.

"Yeah, I'm fine," she replied with a smile before resting her head against his shoulder. Steve leaned over slightly to press a kiss to the crown of her head.

"Oh, I meant to tell you that Grace has requested your presence at her birthday party this Saturday night," Steve said.

"Well, I will definitely be there," Emma replied with a chuckle.

"There's a catch though," Steve said causing Emma to raise her head to make eye contact with him.

"And what would that be?" she inquired.

"Grace said you have to come as my date," Steve said with a grin on his face. Emma sat still for a moment and let out a breath before replying.

"Well I guess if that's what the birthday girl wants…"

"Hey! You mean you wouldn't go with me if she hadn't requested it?" Steve asked incredulously. Emma burst out in laughter.

"Of course I would have, you big baby," she said with a grin.

As the two of them bantered back and forth, neither of them noticed two sets of eyes watching them interact. One set of eyes held confusion while the other set held anger. But before either of the watchers could react, Emma spotted one of them with a shriek of joy.

"Riley!"

Within seconds, the petite blonde woman had her arms wrapped around and equally blonde albeit taller man. There was no mistaking that these two were siblings. Riley's muscled arms banded around his baby sister as he held her for the first time in nearly two weeks.

"Ah, Emma," he breathed as he caught a hint of a catch in her breathing. "Don't you go crying on me!"

"I missed you," she said as she pulled back slightly to get a good look at her brother's face. She saw happiness and exhaustion etched into his features.

"I missed you too, kiddo," he replied as Steve stepped into his line of sight. "Hey."

"Riley, good to see you," Steve said as he waited for Emma to step aside so he could shake Riley's hand. The tall blonde man pulled Steve into a brotherly hug and they both slapped each other on the back a few times. As Emma watched them embrace, she felt all sorts of strings being pulled on her heart. Here were two of the most important people in her world.

"Any luck with a lead before you headed out here?" Steve asked as the three of them began walking towards the parking lot. Riley slung his military issue duffle bag over his shoulder and walked in between Steve and Emma.

"Well, a couple of the guys had requested time off prior to the announcement, but everyone is being monitored even the guys who call in sick. We'll find him," Riley said for Emma's sake.

"So, how about we introduce Riley to Kamekona's culinary skills?" Emma said as they climbed into Steve's truck. Riley took the front seat while Emma climbed in the backseat behind him.

"Who's Kamekona?" Riley asked as Steve pulled in to the airport traffic.

"One of our friends," Emma said with a smile. "He owns a shop right on the beach."

"Sounds good to me, if you're game," Steve said as he noticed Riley's raised eyebrow at Emma calling Kamekona "our" friend.

"Let's do it," Riley said with a smile directed at his baby sister.

Several hours later, the trio made their way to the McGarrett home. After a much heated debate between Steve and Riley about who would sleep on the couch, they agreed on Riley taking the couch since Steve had to get up early to go to work. After leaving Riley downstairs, Steve and Emma both headed upstairs to get ready for bed in their separate rooms. Emma was just getting comfortable in bed when her door quietly opened and Steve entered before quietly closing the door.

"What are you doing?" she whispered as he climbed into the bed with her.

"I'm sleeping with you. What does it look like?" Steve asked with a grin.

"Riley is downstairs," Emma said as she simply stared at him in shock. Granted, they had not discussed telling Riley about the nature of their relationship, but Emma was pretty sure that Steve would not to cause any problems. To be perfectly honest, she wasn't sure how her brother would react.

"Em, I don't care if your brother knows about us," Steve said as he rested one hand against her cheek. "Do you?"

"No, Steve, I don't care. But, I'm not sure how he's going to take it either," Emma said quietly.

"I'll tell you what," Steve said as he got out of bed. "I'll sleep in my room tonight and then tomorrow I'll tell Riley about us. That way there is not sneaking around or being secretive."

"I like that idea," Emma said with a grin. "One thing before you go."

"What's that?" Steve asked as he watched her shuffle closer to him.

"Kiss me," Emma said before going on her tiptoes. Steve met her halfway with a groan leaving his lips. They allowed themselves a few moments to savor the goodnight kiss before pulling away from each other.

"See you in the morning," Steve said before quietly leaving the room.

Little did either of them know, but across the street the other person who had been watching them at the airport earlier that day was closely watching the McGarrett house as the lights went out. Sitting behind the wheel of a rented SUV, the occupant of the vehicle tightened his gloved fingers around the steering wheel.

"_Dammit, Emma! I told you not to bring anyone else into this! Now you're living with a Hawaiian cop. There will be hell to pay, and I can promise you, baby, you will be begging me to kill you before all is said and done."_


	13. Chapter 13

"Emma! Watch me!" a young voice shouted from the water. Emma shook her head to remove the thoughts that had been plaguing her for weeks now.

"Good job, Gracie!" Emma replied as she watched the girl surf her way to shore with Kono close behind her. As she waved a hand in Grace's direction, the tiny hairs on the back of her neck prickled. Casually looking around, Emma sought out the source of her discomfort. Unfortunately, the beach was crowded and it would be nearly impossible to spot anyone suspicious. When the prickling sensation didn't go away after a few minutes, she picked up her phone and sent a text to Steve.

_I think he's here._

As she waited for his reply, she walked closer to the shore line. If her stalker really was here, then that meant that Grace was in danger as well. Emma shuddered at the thought of something happening to the little girl. She'd come to love Grace with all her heart and she'd die before she let anything happen to that sweet child.

_On my way. Stick close to Kono._

Within moments the prickling sensation was replaced with a calmer one. Emma briefly turned her head to the left to see Steve making his way towards her. To the casual onlooker, he looked like a beach-going Haole sprinting to catch up to his girlfriend. Emma let out a breath she didn't realize she'd been holding when his arms swept around her.

"You see him?" Steve asked against her ear.

"No, but I can feel him," Emma replied with a hushed whisper. "I think we need to get Grace out of here."

"I agree," Steve replied before turning towards the water. "Kono!"

Kono quickly ushered Grace to the shore while Steve took their boards.

"What's wrong?" Grace asked as she inspected the faces of the adults standing near here.

"Everything's fine, sweetie," Steve answered with a wink before heading towards the truck. The women followed behind him with Grace in between Kono and Emma. The little girl grabbed Emma's hand.

"Is Danno okay?" she whispered with her big brown eyes shining.

"Oh baby, he's fine!" Emma reassured her as she stopped walking to scoop the girl into her arms. Grace sniffled quietly on Emma's shoulder while she gently rocked them back and forth.

Steve was loading the surf boards into the back of his truck when he noticed that Emma and Grace weren't there.

"Where are they?" he asked Kono as she pulled her cell phone away from her ear. They both looked around frantically before Steve spotted them on the side walk coming towards the truck. He smiled at the sight of Emma and Grace all hugged up to each other with these secret smiles on their faces. Walking around to the driver's side of the truck, Steve pulled the door handle when he heard it.

_A gunshot._


	14. Chapter 14

Emma's step faltered as she heard a crack pierce the air, and then a moment later the windshield of Steve's truck splintered into a thousand pieces. Grabbing Gracie, she pulled them in between two cars and covered Grace's small body with her own. It took everything she had not to call out for Steve, but if the gunshot came from her stalker, she did not want to draw any attention to them.

"Steve?" Kono asked as she belly-crawled her way to the rear of the truck.

"You okay?" Steve replied as he held his weapon in both hand. A trail of blood trickled down the left side of his face.

"I'm fine, are you okay?" she asked while drawing her own weapon out of her bag.

"Yeah, just a piece of glass got me. Did you see Emma and Grace?" Steve asked.

"No," Kono whispered.

"Cover me," Steve said as he began moving towards the car next to his truck. After checking to make sure there wasn't anyone visible, Steve made his way past three cars before he saw a bright pink pair of sandals. Coming around the side of the vehicle, Steve saw Emma with Grace tucked tightly against her body. Sending a prayer of thanks upward, Steve crawled his way towards them.

Amidst the screams of the people scattered along the beach, Emma had not heard anyone approach. When she felt a hand land on her arm, she jerked violently. Looking up, her tear-filled eyes met those of the man she loved. Breathing a deep sigh of relief, Grace broke the silence.

"Steve, you're bleeding," she whispered.

"I know, sweetie, but I'm okay," he assured the little girl. Emma's nursing skills took over as she assessed the wound with her eyes. It looked like it would need stitches.

"Baby, are you okay?" Steve asked as he smoothed a hand down the side of her face. Afraid of bursting into tears, Emma jerked her head in response. At the moment the sound of sirens coming closer echoed throughout the parking lot.

After several minutes of searching, the police could not find anyone with a gun. Steve was sitting at the back of an ambulance while the EMT cleaned his cut. Grace was wrapped in Danny's arms while he talked to Kono and Chin. Emma was giving her statement to a uniformed officer.

"Excuse me, ma'am," a man said as he approached Emma and the officer. "I'm with the crime scene unit, could you show me where you were when you heard the gunshot?"

"Sure," Emma replied as she followed the man to the sidewalk. With her back to the man, she walked forward until she stopped in front of the car she and Grace had been standing in front of when the gunshot had rang out. "Right here."

"I know," the man replied. Before Emma could turn around she felt the prick of blade against her back. "Don't move, baby. We're going for a walk. If you scream, I kill one of them."

"Why are you doing this?" Emma whispered without moving.

"Because you belong to me. Now move," he ordered. Emma hesitated only briefly before he pulled a gun from behind his back and pointed it towards Steve. Unfortunately, none of the guys were looking in her direction. Emma began to move forward. She kept moving until they reached a black pick up truck at the end of the parking lot.

"Get in," the man ordered as he opened the passenger side door. Emma complied when she felt the blade of the knife dig further into her skin. While he made his way to the driver's side door, Emma shot a text to Steve and Danny. _Black truck, back of the parking lot. _

As her kidnapper put the truck in reverse and moved out of the parking space, Emma made sure to memorize his facial features. Blond hair, green eyes, tan complexion. As she studied his face, a spark of recognition hit her. She knew this man! He was one of the police officers who had responded to her emergency call in Virginia.

"Dammit!" the man swore while slamming on the brakes. Emma's gaze swung around to the front of the vehicle. There stood Steve, Danny, Chin, and Kono with weapons drawn. "You little bitch! Get out!"

Emma didn't hesitate to throw open the door and run to Steve, who carefully pushed her behind him.

"Step out of the vehicle, now!" Danny shouted as he walked closer to the driver's side. Before he could get any closer, the truck sped backwards and across the back of the parking lot. Two police cruisers immediately followed the truck while Danny and Chin ran towards the Camaro.

"We'll find him," Danny promised before he dove into the car and sped away in pursuit. Steve whipped around and pulled Emma into his arms.

"Are you okay? Jesus, Emma, why didn't you scream or something?" Steve reprimanded as his arms tightened around her.

"He had a gun and he said he would kill you or one of the team. I couldn't take that chance, especially with Grace here," Emma said as she looked around Steve to see Grace wrapped in Kono's arms.

"Okay," Steve whispered before he meshed their mouths together in a kiss full of desperation.


End file.
